New Yorker's rejoice, an appeals court has ruled Mayor's Bloomberg attempt to ban sugary drinks over 16 ounces "unconstitutional." The attempt at banning sugary substances was in an effort to combat the city's obesity problem and now the mayor is planning on appealing the court's decision. Comedian Alex Barnett sounds off on how New Yorkers are "free to be fat" and gives his opinion on the ruling.

XKeyscore is basically a Google search allowing NSA and NSA low level contractors to search anything about you (VIDEO)

On Tuesday, the Fifth Court Circuit of Appeals ruled that law enforcement does not need a warrant to obtain your cell phone location information. Cell phone towers are able to track a mobile user's device and prior to this ruling the information was only accessible with a warrant through the telecommunication companies. Brian Duggan, technologist for Open Technology Institute, weighs in on the new ruling and XKeyscore

Cops can "brand" protesters with invisible ink like the Nazis branded the Jews during Hitler's time (VIDEO)

Several Occupy Montreal protesters were marked by invisible ink on their hands by cops. Other police departments in the US are using ink to mark property, but what happens when inking property, turns to inking people- as it did for the protesters in Montreal? When cops can mark citizens in protests with invisible ink, what else can they use? Introduced to the police market a "DNA gun"-- featured in the Las Vegas "shot show" this year, a DNA gun that leaves an invisible trace on skin. Other gadgets may be coming to law enforcement near you. RT's Margaret Howell explains.

The NSA has so much "dirty laundry" on US Congressmen that they'd have to be saints to vote against the NSA! (VIDEO)

US Congressmen will never curtail NSA spying because the NSA has the congressmen by the balls! (VIDEO)US Congressmen were paid to vote "NO" or against the Amash amendment which would cut money to NSA spying (VIDEO)According to data compiled by OpenSecrets.org and analyzed by non-profit organization MapLight, representatives that voted against the Amash NSA amendment received on average 122 percent more campaign donations between 2010-2012 from defense contractors than the representatives that voted for the bill

Edward Snowden revealed the details on the NSA's most expansive surveillance program known as "XKeyscore." (VIDEO)

The XKeyscore documents say the program is the NSA's "widest reaching" system developing intelligence from computer networks.

National Security Agency documents provided to The Guardian by Edward Snowden reveal a system that allows analysts to search "nearly everything a typical user does on the internet," according to one document.Glenn Greenwald reports that training materials for a program called XKeyscore show how analysts — without the review of a court or other NSA personnel — can mine extensive agency databases by giving only a broad justification for the search.

"It's very rare to be questioned on our searches," Snowden told the Guardian in June, "and even when we are, it's usually along the lines of: 'let's bulk up the justification.'"

From Greenwald:

XKeyscore provides the technological capability, if not the legal authority, to target even US persons for extensive electronic surveillance without a warrant provided that some identifying information, such as their email or IP address, is known to the analyst.

Furthermore, Greenwald reports that analysts can use XKeyscore and other NSA systems "to obtain ongoing 'real-time' interception of an individual's internet activity."

This would be akin to the NSA's assertion, as stated in 2000, that the "NSA must 'live on the network'" to "perform both its offensive and defensive mission."

The Guardian has published the NSA training slides from the program, whcih are from 2008. One shows how XKeyscore constantly collects digital activity and that an analyst can search the metadata as well as the content of emails, social media use, internet browsing activity, and more.

On Wednesday, Edward Snowden revealed the details on the NSA's most expansive surveillance program known as "XKeyscore." This system gives the NSA access to mostly all online activity and on Capitol Hill the House of Representatives continues to push for more oversight into the NSA's practices. Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA) is spearheading the efforts and he joins us with more

Is the Pope trying to please the majority of the Vatican's priests who are gay by saying : 'Who Am I to Judge' Gays? (VIDEO)

"As they settled into their seats on the Alitalia jet, the assembled members of the Vatican press corps might not have expected a great deal from the journey home.

They had just followed the Catholic church's first Latin American pope on a meet and greet around Brazil."*

Is Pope Francis shedding new hope on the Catholic church? In a distinctly tolerant tone, the pope said, "Who am I to judge?" adding that the Church should not marginalize people based on integration. Will the religious-right now go against the pope? Cenk Uygur discusses.

The Italian media began reporting earlier today on a group of homosexual priests and possibly bishops being investigated by Roman police and prosecutors for their involvement in a network of young teenage male prostitutes. Details are now coming out that one of the recruiters for the ring .. a former Rome policeman .. was also involved in stealing consecrated hosts and selling them to Satanists in and around Rome. MORE: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3036547/posts

98% of Rome’s Priests Are Gay

Panorama, a magazine owned by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, has just published an exposé on the secret lives of Rome’s gay priests.

They’re not sitting home saying the rosary. Nor are they molesting children, as one might think, given how the Vatican has tried its best to push its ongoing sex with kids scandal onto the backs of gay priests.Instead, these priests are enjoying the gay night life that the city offers -- visiting bars and having consensual sex with other adults.

The father of US fugitive Edward
Snowden has said the FBI asked him to travel to Moscow and see his son, but adds
that he wants more details.

Lon Snowden said he had been asked several weeks ago about Edward, who is
sought by the US for leaking details of electronic surveillance programmes. However, he wants to know the FBI's intentions, he told Russian state TV.
He said his son would not get a fair trial in America and, if he were in his
son's place, he would stay in Russia. MORE:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23514431

During Bradley Manning's trial in Fort Meade, Maryland, many of the soldier's supporters showed up during the trial to back the whistleblower for revealing one of the biggest data leaks in US history, but last Friday Clark Stoeckley, courtroom sketch artist, was banned for one of his tweets. He joins us with more and explains the situation.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging are machines that use magnetic field and radio pulses to map the inside of the body. But there's a new use for them -- functional MRIs can also measure changes in brain activity. So are these machines mind readers? Dr. Natasha Vita-More, futurist and Co-author of The Transhumanist Reader breaks it down.

A new report released by the Governement Accountibility Office says that between 2008 and 2012 - the Agricultural Department gave out over $30-million-dollars in farm subsidies to 4500 people who had been dead for over a year. RT's Erin Ade has the details.

"A detailed analysis on Maplight of the voting in last week's vote on de-funding NSA dragnet spying found that the Congresscritters who voted in favor of more NSA spying received more than double the defense industry campaign contributions of their anti-NSA-voting rivals. They were the winners in the industry's $13M donation bonanza leading up to the 2012 elections."*

Why didn't more of our elected officials vote for the "Amash Amendment" to defund NSA mass spying on American citizens? The idea seems novel and agreeable enough, so why did the amendment fail? The answer is easy, when you see which politicians received the most money from corporations who will profit off NSA spying. Cenk Uygur breaks it down.

"A Pennsylvania police chief who made international news after posting profanity- and gunfire-filled videos to YouTube says he is now "under attack."

Mark Kessler in his videos berated Secretary of State John Kerry over a United Nations conspiracy theory, repeatedly shot a picture of scary clown that he said was Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), told "libtards" they "take it in the *ss," talked about shooting a "libtard out of a tree," and later offered a faux apology filled with F-bombs and automatic gunfire."*

You may remember Chief Kessler...famous for his Youtube videos in which he fires a gun off while screaming, shooting "Nancy Pelosi," and calling for armed revolt. Well, he's back, and guess who's to blame for his crazy behavior? Obviously, the media! Cenk Uygur brings us the next chapter in the story of the "scariest police chief."

When it comes to banking, bigger isn't always better. While the EU is struggling to beef up its ailing financial institutions, Europe's smallest banks have been doing pretty well - some run by just one member of staff. RT's Peter Oliver traveled to a small German village to meet one such banker.

A staggering $53 million worth of diamonds and other jewels were stolen Sunday from the Carlton Intercontinental Hotel in Cannes, in one of Europe's biggest jewelry heists in recent years, police said. (July 28)

US Government working hand in hand with Monsanto in promoting GMO foods throughout the world (VIDEO)

Abby Martin talks to Alexis Bayden Mayer about a recent revelation from a German newspaper that Monsanto is working in concert with the US government to spy on anti-GMO activists and researchers. They talk about GMO myths, labeling laws, and the recent Monsanto buy-out of Beeologics.

Journalist Alexa O'Brien gives us her response to today's verdict in the Bradley Manning trial. Manning was found 'not guilty' to the main charge of 'aiding the enemy' but was found 'guilty' on multiple other charges which gives him a sentence of (maximum) 136 years. Court continues Wednesday July 31, 2013 9:30 a.m. where Manning will receive his sentencing.

A US military judge has found Army private first class Bradley Manning "not guilty" of aiding the enemy. However, he was found guilty of 19 remaining charges, meaning that he still faces the possibility of over 100 years behind bars. READ MORE:http://on.rt.com/e7o41i

The US government is pouring money into a technology called fMRI, functional magnetic resonance imaging, which measures changes in localized brain activity over time by watching blood flow. And it can now be used to infer information about our memories. It can tell things like what we have actually seen or experienced. Though no court has admitted fMRI results as evidence yet, the signs clearly point in that direction.

Cops arrest gay men for attempting to have sex and then must release them as they can't bring charges - and do it again and again (VIDEO)

"According to an investigative report from the Baton Rouge Advocate, there have been a dozen cases since 2011 in which undercover police officers in Louisiana have propositioned gay men for sex — agreeing to have sex in private, and without money changing hands — only to arrest them under the state's anti-sodomy law, which was invalidated more than a decade ago by a Supreme Court ruling."*

Police in Louisiana are wasting time and money by performing stings to arrest gay men based on a law struck down by the courts as invalid. Why are officers continuing to arrest gay men who agree to consensual, perfectly legal sex? Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian discuss.

All California prisoners on hunger strike want is very basic human rights like food (VIDEO)California prisoner died after hunger strike protesting inhuman conditions (VIDEO) Dead California inmate from hunger strike is called A SUICIDE (VIDEO)

An inmate being held in solitary confinement and who has been participating in a mass hunger strike died in the California State Prison, Corcoran on Monday. His supporters say the inmate, 32-year-old Bill "Guero" Sell, was taking part in the protest. Prison officials deny the statement and treat his death as a suicide. The prison didn't answer the RT calls. Sell was serving a life sentence for attempted murder and was also pending charges for the murder of a cell mate. The hunger strike has been lasting for 22 days by now with about a thousand inmates at 11 prisons still refusing to eat., initially there were 30,000 inmates that refused meals in the first days. Diana Zuñiga, Statewide Organizer, Californians United for a Responsible Budget joins us for the details.

Cumulus carries Limbaugh and Hannity's shows on more than 40 of its stations, including Limbaugh's longtime flagship WABC in New York as well as stations in big markets like Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Dallas."*

Advertisers are quick to deny any link to Rush Limbaugh's radio program, and it's very difficult for him to actually prove his alleged audience numbers. That said, Cumulus Media is said to be dropping Rush (and Sean Hannity) sooner than he might think. Where could Rush be going, and what reprehensible behavior got him there? Cenk Uygur breaks it down with a video mash-up of some of Limbaugh's "best" moments.

Abby Martin goes over the case of Katie Barnett, an Ohio resident who had her home mistaken for one that was foreclosed. Bank thugs robbed and ransacked Barnett's home yet is refusing to pay for the damages. Sadly, her case is far from uncommon.

"It's got plenty of competition but this may just be the single most cringe-worthy, embarrassing interview on Fox News. At least in recent memory. Fox News anchor Lauren Green had religious scholar Reza Aslan on her FoxNews.com show Friday to talk about Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, his book that has been stirring up some online controversy recently. And right off the bat, Green gets to what is important: "You're a Muslim, so why did you write a book about the founder of Christianity?" Aslan seemed a little flabbergasted: "Well, to be clear, I am a scholar of religions with four degrees, including one in the New Testament, and fluency in biblical Greek, who has been studying the origins of Christianity for two decades, who also just happens to be a Muslim."*

Reza Aslan is a religious scholar and author of "Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth." He is also Muslim. This blew the minds of Fox News, including host Lauren Green, who quite possibly gave the most embarrassing, insipid interview in Fox News history. Can a non-Christian possibly be interested in Jesus? Is there any attempt to hide Fox News' agenda? How many times can an anchor phrase the same question again and again?! Cenk Uygur breaks down this ridiculous interview.

Obama declared Bradley Manning guilty which is a direct order to the military judge trying him to also declare him guilty (VIDEO)

A military judge is set to deliver the verdict on US Army whistleblower Bradley Manning later on Tuesday. He could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted of aiding the enemy. His defense argues that Manning leaked classified documents because he wanted to expose war crimes. But when it comes to press coverage of the case in the US, innocent until proven guilty may not apply. RT's Gayane Chichakyan explains. Follow LIVE UPDATES: http://on.rt.com/0inxdj

In this episode of the Keiser Report, Max Keiser and Stacy Herbert discuss the real world Monopoly board game without a jail and on which most players must pass 'go' and receive just $200 in foodstamps while a select few get to pass 'go' and collect $200 billion in bailouts, bail-ins and subsidies.

In the second half, Max talks to precious metals expert, Andrew Maguire, about the run on the bullion banks happening right now.

The dispute over Barack Obama's eligibility captured the imagination of the American public with stunning revelations, lawsuits, a best-selling book and, finally, the release of what was described as the "original" birth certificate from Hawaii in an attempt to silence the doubters.

Since that time, it's been mostly Obama's defenders gloating and deriding anyone who questions the official narrative as so-called "birthers."

That might change soon, according to the lead investigator for Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Cold Case Posse in Arizona, which was assigned to do a thorough investigation of the document posted by the White House as Obama's birth certification.

Lt. Mike Zullo told WND there is interest being expressed in Congress about the investigation's conclusion that the White House document is fraudulent -- an image created on a computer.

A contingent of citizens in Maricopa County had asked Arpaio to look into the issue because they were concerned an ineligible candidate would be on their 2012 presidential election ballot.

Zullo previously has contributed evidence to a court case -- now pending before the state Supreme Court in Alabama -- on the dispute. He has testified that the White House computer image of Obama's birth certificate contains anomalies that are unexplainable unless the document had been fabricated piecemeal by human intervention, rather than being copied from a genuine paper document.

After years of China's rapid growth and development, the world's second largest economy appears to be slowing down. The government is expecting the lowest rate of economic expansion in more than two decades - at 7.5 percent. James Corbett, editor of The Corbett Report news website, joins RT to talk more on China and its place in the global economy.

Monday, July 29, 2013

A wave of 13 car bombs has struck mainly Shia areas in and around the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, killing at least 33 people and injuring more than 150, security and medical officials have said. A car bomb also targeted a market in the centre of southern city of Basra killing at least three people on Monday, security sources told Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera's Jane Arraf reports from Baghdad.

After months of court hearings for the case of Private first class Bradley Manning, Army Judge Col. Denise Lind is expected to deliver a verdict against the soldier responsible for releasing thousands of documents to the website WikiLeaks. Prosecutors argue that by releasing this information he aided America's enemies, but across the globe protests have sprung up in support of the private by those who consider him a hero. RT's Meghan Lopez has more on the verdict, expected to be announced Tuesday afternoon.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National Security Agency have received a lot of unwanted attention after the two agencies secret spying practices surfaced in the past few months. Many privacy advocates claim that by the government eavesdropping on its citizens, the US is slowly transitioning into a police state eliminate the right to free speech. John Whitehead, constitutional attorney and author of A Government of Wolves joins us to discuss the ever-growing police state and how it is threatening our First Amendment rights.

Georgia town takes a stance against GUN CONTROL by mandating that all citizens must own a gun (VIDEO)

A new controversial law in a small town in the United States says every home must have a gun. City councilors insist it will help fight crime, but opponents say there is no need for it. Al Jazeera's Andy Gallacher reports from Nelson, in the state of Georgia.

Germany and other European countries looking for WEAPONIZED drones - but promise no to kill anyone (LOL) (VIDEO)

Activist and journalist Elsa Rassbach explains the situation with the German government and their move to acquire weaponized drones. There is currently a strong opposition to Germany's drone acquiring that is making progress in their work. Rassbach also talks about the reaction in Germany to the NSA spying revelations and the protests for Obama's visit that the media did not cover.

Will John Kerry get a Nobel Peace Prize medal or will peace loving Obama get his second medal? (VIDEO)Israel blackmailing Palestine into peace talks by holding Palestinian prisoners hostage (VIDEO)

Israeli and Palestinian teams are heading to Washington for preliminary talks towards a formal re-opening of negotiations after years of stalemate.Both sides are emphasizing that many obstacles stand between them and a final deal, but it is the furthest the two sides have got in three years.Al Jazeera's Gerald Tan reports.

The frontman and co-founder of "The Rolling Stones", Mick Jagger, celebrates his 70th birthday this Friday. Mick met his future bandmate Keith Richards when he was just 4 years old. Jagger and Richards wrote over 200 songs together. Mick's career in music spans over 53 years - he sang back vocals on several Beatles songs, and he is still singing today, as active as ever. Once he was asked when he'd quit singing and touring. Mick's answer? "When I can no longer hold a microphone..." Happy 70th birthday, Mick! MORE:http://www.freakingnews.com/Mick-Jagger-Pictures--4216-0.asp

US high-end retailer Saks snapped up Saks shareholders still need to approve the merger. Canadian retailer Hudson's Bay Company has bought US department store Saks in a $2.9bn deal. MORE:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23491574

PANDAS steals your kids just like autism and it's no coincidence. There is a lot of overlap in symptoms and causes. There is more autism awareness nowadays but there needs to be just as much PANDAS awareness because it is just as big of a problem and becoming more and more common. Know the signs so you can identify it early because early treatment leads to better outcomes.links:

Closet gay man preferred to "die" instead of admitting to his family and friends that he was gay (VIDEO)

"'My motivation for disappearing was death. I was dying inside,' he wrote in a blog. 'I was mentally ill, incapacitated by 34 years of careful hiding."Eric grew up in privilege. He was the middle son of wealthy and influential Phoenix developer Don Myers.

His family counted some of the Valley's most powerful figures among their friends. He had every advantage: money, connections, opportunity.

CONGRESSWOMAN: "It is not for Congress to make colleges affordable..." to all American kids (VIDEO)"The federal government should have no role in trying to make college affordable, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) said, backing legislation that would prevent the Obama administration from enforcing new rules on for-profit colleges.

'The attitude of our friends on the other side of the aisle, the attitude of the Department of Education, is that total control of our lives, especially education since that's what we're dealing with, should be done at the federal level,' Foxx said on Wednesday."*

It's not only government security agencies that have had their eyes on private data - if you're in the UK, many businesses also have access to your personal info. New revelations in the British press suggest that major companies hired private investigators to steal data. The country's organized crime agency apparently knew about it - but kept the material secret until now.

This is what EU Bailouts, the World Bank and the IMF do to countries - rob them blind like in Greece (VIDEO)

After having forced through further austerity measures Greece is set to receive its next bailout instalment. The bailout comes at the expense of thousands of public sector jobs. A rescue loan of 4 billion euros will come from the eurozone and European central banks. The IMF is also expected stump up a further 1.8 billion. To get the loans, Athens will have to fire 4000 civil servants by the end of the year. Greece has been relying on rescue funds for over three years now, but as financial expert Patrick Young explains, it's done little to cure the country's financial woes.

Nearly two years after Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown and killed in Libya - his son, Saif al-Islam, is yet to stand trial for alleged war crimes committed during the 2011 uprising. He's set for a hearing in Libya in August - but International Criminal Court judges fear he won't receive a fair trial there. Libya is meanwhile defying an ICC ruling by refusing to hand him over to the Hague, insisting on trial at home.